Then
turning to his own squadron, he took his casque, surmounted by a
large plume of white feathers, and said: 'Companions, God is with us,
there stand his enemies and ours. Here is your king. Upon them! and
if you lose your cornets, rally to my white plume. You will find it
in the road to victory and honour.' During some part of the morning
one of his officers remarked to him that he had provided no place of
retreat, but Henry replied: 'There is no other retreat than the field
of battle.'

"Before commencing the engagement, the King performed one of those
generous and honourable acts, so well calculated to win all hearts,
and carry the love of his people along with him. It would seem that
Schomberg, who commanded the Germans in his service, had previously
demanded the pay of his troops, which was long in arrear, and that
Henry had replied sharply: 'No brave man ever asked for money on the
eve of a battle.' At this moment of peril the King's heart smote him
for what he had said; and approaching the old officer, he spoke thus:
'Monsieur de Schomberg, I have injured you. This day may be the last
of my life, and I would not take away the honour of any gentleman. I
know your valour and your merit, and I beseech you to pardon and
embrace me.'

"'Sire,' answered Schomberg, 'you wounded me the other day it is
true, but to-day you kill me; for the honour you do me will force me
to die for your service.'

"It is probable that immediately after this incident a movement in
advance, mentioned by the king in all his despatches, was made on the
part of the royal army, for, till between ten and eleven o'clock, the
forces of the League were at such a distance, that it was possible
for Mayenne to avoid a battle. The King still apparently imagined
that such might be his adversary's intention, for he says in his
circular letter respecting the great victory of Ivry, that the
enemy's troops having appeared still farther off than they had been
on the preceding evening, he resolved to approach so close that they
must of necessity fight; and having, in consequence, gone to seek
them even to the spot where they had planted themselves, 'from which
they never advanced but so far as was necessary to come to the
charge,' the battle took place. Judging from this adheren